Food grinder plate



April 28, 1942. w. H. BENTON FOOD GRINDER PLATE Filed Sept. 26, 1940 N WM H. w.

Patented Apr. 28, 1942 zeigte FOD GRNDER PLATE Wade H. Benton, FortWorth, Tex.

Application September 26, 1940, Serial No. 358,546

9 Claims.

This invention pertains to food choppers, sometimes termed meatgrinders, and is especially directed to the plate Which cooperates Withthe cutter to comminute the food and to discharge it from the chopper incomminuted form.

In conventional practice the cutter and the discharge plate arerotatable relative to each other and are disposed in face to facecontact relationship for the cutter blade to Wipe across the contactsurface of the discharge plate. Apertures in the plate, into which themeat or other material is'projected under pressure by the feed screw,cooperate With the cutter to comminute the food to a degree of nenessdetermined by the size of the holes.

The present invention is directed to a discharge plate which is readilyadjustable to comminute food to more than one predetermined degree ofineness. It consists of a discharge plate comprising a primary memberand a companion piece, the primary member providing apertures of a sizelarger than the conventional apertures for nne comminution, whichcooperate With the cutter to comminute food to a coarse degree. Thecompanion piece comprises inserts positionable selectively into and outof the apertures of the primary member to regulate the degree of nenessof food comminution.

The discharge plate, as in conventional practice, is circular, theprimary member and companion piece of the present invention each beingcircular and concentrically disposed with reference to each other andwith reference to the axis of relative rotation between the cutter anddischarge plate. The primary member and companion piece are movablerelative to each other axially and circumferentially for adjustment toposition the inserts of the companion piece selectively into and out ofthe apertures of the primary member. tioned in the apertures of the thedischarge plate is adjusted tion. When the inserts are the apertures ofthe primary member, for ne comminupositioned out of primary member, thedischarge plate is adjusted for coarse comminution f of the food.

The primary member of the discharge plate provides a surface of contactagainst which the cutter operates. The inserts when positioned in theapertures of surfaces of contact positioned in the plane of the surfaceof contact of the primary member, both surfaces of contact of theprimary member and companion piece cooperating with the cutter When theinserts are posithe primary member provide to comminute the food to a nedegree. For the 5b (Ci. 14S- 189) purpose of fine comminution theprimary member is provided with apertures through its surface of contactwhich are of a smaller size than the apertures which receive the insertsof the companion piece. The inserts of the companion piece are alsoprovided with apertures through their surfaces of contact similar to thesmaller apertures in the primary member, which cooperate with the cuttertogether With the smaller apertures in the primary member duringcomminution of a finer degree.

The discharge plate is provided With simple adjusting mechanism betweenprimary member and companion piece which facilitates the readypositioning of the inserts into and out of the larger apertures of theprimary member to enable quick and easy conversion of the chopper for neand coarse comminution of the food. By this means the food chopper canbe readily adjusted for coarse comminution of the food, and then quicklyand easily adjusted for comminuting the food a second time to a finerdegree.`

The nature of the invention and its several advantages will be readilyappreciated from the preferred practical embodiment of the inventionshown in the accompanying drawing in which Figure l is an end view of afood chopper embodying the invention adjusted for ne comminution,certain parts being removed for clearness of illustration;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the food chopper partly in longitudinalcross section;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional elevation taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an end elevation similar to Figure l, embodying theinvention adjusted for coarse comminution of food, and with unimportantparts broken away;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional elevation taken on line 5-5 of Figure'fl;and

Figures 6 and 7 are companion perspective views of the principalelements of the discharge plate of the invention.

Viewing the drawing, especially 'as illustrated in Figures l and 2, theinvention pertains to a food Vchopper which, according to conventionalpractice, comprises a hopper Il, food feeding passage I2, feed screw I3,and the support member Id. The support member I4 is shown broken awayand may provide any suitable and conventional construction for attachingthe food chopper to a table or other base.

The feed screw I3 rotates concentrically with the food passage and isprovided with the spiral food advancing fin I5 which operates totransport the food from the hopper II along th'e food passage I2 underpressure into engagement with the cooperating cutter I6 and dischargeplate indicated generally at I1. The feed screw I3 is bearinged at I8 atone end of the food passage I2, the shaft of the feed screw projectingat I9 outside the housing of the food passage. Attached to the shaftprojection I9, as by winged nui'J 20, is the handle 2| or other suitablemeans for rotating the shaft I9 and the fed screw I3 integral therewith.

At its opposite end the feed screw I3 is provided with the shaftprojection 22 through the discharge plate I1, which discharge plate isWithheld against rotation by the lug 23 fitting in the notch 24 of theplate. In this manner the cutter rotates relative to the discharge platewhich is held stationary, although it will be understood that theinvention is applicable to the so-called stationary cutter type of foodchopper. Inwardly toward the feed screw I3 the shaft projection 22 isprovided with the squared shank 25 which fits the companion hole 29 ofthe cutter I6, and requires the cutter to rotate with the feed screw I3,with the shaft projection 22 bearinged in the discharge plate I1 asillustrated in Figures 2 and 5.

The discharge plate I1 comprises the primary member 28, Figure 6, andthe companion piece 29, Figure '1, both pieces being circular as shownand concentrically disposed with relationship to each other to provide adischarge plate which is circular as in conventional practice. Theprimary member is provided with apertures 3I which are relatively large.The companion piece 29 is provided with inserts 32, Figure '1, which inthe disclosed embodiment of the invention are of a size and shape to llthe apertures 3 I. The companion piece 29 is also provided withapertures 1 33 between the inserts 32 which register with the apertures3| of the primary member when the food chopper is adjusted for coarsecomminution. The primary member and companion piece are movable axiallyrelative to each other on the shaft projection 22, Figure 2, and arethereupon movable circumferentially relative to each other into theposition illustrated in Figure 4, with the apertures 3I of the primarymember and the apertures 33 of the companion piece in registry with eachother.

In this position of adjustment, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, thefood is projected by feed screw I3 into the apertures 3| to becomminuted to a coarse degree by the cutter I6 rotating relative to thedischarge plate. The discharge plate comprising the primary member 28provides the circular surface of contact 34 across which the blades ofthe cutter I6 wipe as they rotate relative to the discharge plate I1,thus cutting the food to a size determined by the size of the apertures3 I.

Between the primary member 28 and companion piece 29, enclosed in thehousing 36, is the compression coil spring 31 surrounding the shaftprojection 22. The spring 31 tends to press the primary member andcompanion piece apart axially relative to each other. The holding band.3S, is screw threaded to the disc enclosing ilared end 21 of the foodfeeding passage I2, and is provided with the flange 49 which overlapsthe edge of the discharge plate I1 to hold the parts in operativeposition as illustrated in the drawing. Figures 1 and 4 show the band 38removed, for clearness of illustration.

The holding band 33 operates against the compression of the spring 31 topress the primary member 28 and companion piece 29 together with theinserts 32 positioned in the apertures 3|. This positions the parts asillustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The companion piece 29 is providedWith stufaces of contact 39 on the faces of the inserts 32 which arepositioned in the plane of the surface of contact 34 of the primarymember 23 when the inserts are positioned in the apertures 3| asillustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3. In this position the surface ofcontact 34 and the surface of contact 39 together cooperate with thecutter I6, the blades 35 of the cutter wiping across the compositesurface of contact 34 and 39.

Apertures 4I in the primary member 28, and similar apertures 42 in theinserts 32 of the companion piece 29, receive the food projected intothem by the force exerted by the feed screw I3, the apertures 4I and 42cooperating with the cutter I6 to comminute the food to a ne degree whenthe parts are in position, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

The primary member 23 is provided with the lug 43 and the companionpiece 29 is provided with the cooperating elongated notch 44 withlimiting stops for limiting the relative circumferential movementbetween the primary member 28 and companion piece 29 in the twopositions of adjustment. The stops of the notch 44 enable a readyadjustment for projecting the inserts 32 into the apertures 3I for necomminution and for pressing the apertures 3I and 33 of the primarymember 29 and companion piece 29 respectively in registry with eachother in adjustment for coarse comminution.

The operation of the device is obvious from the showing. When the foodchopper is to be adjusted for coarse comminution of the food, retractionof the holding band 38 will permit the spring 31 to press the primarymember 28 and companion piece 29 apart axially of each other until theinserts have receded from position in the apertures 3l. The companionpiece 29 can then be rotated relative to the primary member 28 on theaxis of the shaft projection 22 until the lug 43 and the stop of thenotch 44 positions the apertures 3l and 33 in registry with each other.A slight turning of the holding band 33 will cause the flange 49 topress the primary member 28 and companion piece 29 together, in theposition of Figures 4 and 5, and the chopper is in adjustment for coarsecomminution of the food. If it is desired to comminute the food to a nedegree, either before or after it has been comminuted coarsely accordingto the hereinbefore described adjustment, the holding band 38 can beretracted slightly to permit relative rotation between the primarymember 28 and the companion piece 29 until the lug 43 and the stop ofthe elongated notch 44 engage each other to position the inserts 32opposite the apertures 3I The holding band 38 can then be tightened toproject the inserts 32 into the apertures 3| until the primary memberand companion piece are pressed tightly together, as illustrated inFigures 1, 2 and 3. In this position the contact surfaces 34 and 39 arein the same plane and the smaller apertures 4I and 42 are in position tocooperate with the cutter I6 to comminute the food to a fine degree.

If the food chopper becomes clogged during its use for ne comminution,the chopper can be adjusted for coarse comminution and a small quantityof food run through the chopper to correct the clogged condition. ltwill be noted that the adjustment for i-ne and'coarse comminution isespecially simple and readily accomplished.

The embodiment illustrated in the drawing presents one practicalapplication of the inven-l tion. Obviously the disclosure will suggest anumber of modifications within the spirit of the invention and theinvention is not limited to the embodiment shown. The scope of theinvention is determined by the accompanying claims.A

What I claim is:

l. A food chopper comprising, a discharge plate and a cutter rotatablerelative to and in contact with each other cooperatively to comminutefood, the discharge plate comprising a primary member and a companionpiece, the primary member providing a surface of contact for the cutterwith apertures therethrough cooperating with the cutter for coarsecomminution of the food, the companion piece comprising insertspcsitionable in the apertures of the primary member, the inserts eachproviding a surface of contact for the cutter positioned in the plane ofthe surface of Contact of the primary member when the inserts arepositioned in the apertures, additional apertures through the contactsurfaces oi the primary member and companion piece smaller than thefirst named I- apertures cooperating with the cutter for finercomminution of the food, and means to adjust the primary member andcompanion piece with the inserts selectively positioned into and out ofthe iirst named apertures to regulate the degree 3- of neness of foodcomminution.

2. A- food chopper comprising, a discharge plate and a cutter rotatablerelative to and in contact With each other cooperatively to comminutefood, the discharge lplate comprising a e primary member and a companionpie-ce, the primary member providing a surface of contact for the cutterwith apertures therethrough cooperating with the cutter for coarsecomminution of the food, the companion piece comprising insertspositionable in and tted to ll the apen tures of the primary member, theinserts each providing a surface of contact for the cutter positioned inthe plane of the surface of contact of the primary member When theinserts are positioned in the apertures, additional apertures throughthe contact surfaces of the primary member and companion piece smallerthan the rst named apertures cooperating with the cutter for nercomminution of the food, and means :f

to adjust the primary member and companion piece with the insertsselectively positioned into and out of the first named apertures toregulate the degree of neness of food comminution.

3. A food chopper comprising, a circular discharge plate and a cutterrotatable concentrically relative to and in contact with each othercooperatively to comminute food, the discharge plate comprising aprimary member and a concentric companion piece, the primary memberproviding a surface of contact for the cutter with aperturestherethrough cooperating with the cutter for coarse comminution of thefood, the companion piece comprising inserts positionable in and tted toll the apertures of the primary member, the inserts each providing asurface of contact for the cutter positioned in the plane of the surfaceof -contact of the primary member When the inserts are positioned in theapertures, additional apertures through the contact surfaces of theprimary member andcompanion piece smaller than the rst named aperturescooperating with the cutter for ner comminution of the food, and meansto move the primary member and companion piece axially andcircumferentially relative to each other for adjustment to position theinserts (selectively into and out of the first named apertures toregulate the degree of neness of food comminution.

4. A food chopper comprising a discharge plate and a cutter rotatablerelative to and in contact with each other cooperatively to comminutefood, the discharge plate comprising a primary member and a companionpiece, the primary member providing a surface of contact for the cutterwith apertures therethrough cooperating With the cutter for coarsecomminution of the food, the companion piece comprising insertspositionable in and tted to fill the apertures of the primary member,the inserts each providing a surface of contact for the cutterpositioned in the plane of the surface of contact of the primary memberwhen the inserts are positioned in the apertures, additional aperturesthrough the contact surfaces of the primary member and companion piecesmaller than the rst named apertures cooperating With the cutter for nercomminution of the food, spring means normally tending to spread theprimary member and companion piece apart, and means to adjust theprimary member and companion piece with the inserts selectivelypositioned into and out of the first-named apertures to regulate thedegree of neness of food comminution.

5. A food chopper comprising a circular discharge plate and a cutterrotatable concentrically relative to and in contact with each othercooperatively to comminute food, the discharge plate comprising aprimary member and a concentric companion piece, the primary memberproviding a surface of Contact for the cutter with aperturestherethrough cooperating with the cutter for coarse comminution of thefood., the companion piece comprising inserts positionable in and iittedto iill the apertures of the primary member, the inserts each providinga surface of contact for the cutter positioned in the plane of thesurface oi contact of the primary member when the inserts are positionedin the apertures, additional apertures through the contact surfaces ofthe primary member and companion piece smaller than the rstmamedapertures cooperating with the cutter for ner comminution of the food,spring means normally tending to spread the primary member and companionpiece apart, and means to move the primary member and companion pieceaxially and circumferentially relative to each other for adjustment toposition the inserts selectively into and out of the first-namedapertures to regulate the degree of neness of food comminution.

6. A food chopper comprising a discharge plate and a cutter rotatablerelative to and in Contact with each other cooperatively to comminutefood, the discharge plate comprising a primary member and a companionpiece, the primary member providing a surface of contact for the cutterwith apertures therethrough cooperating with the cutter for coarsecomminution of the food, the companion piece comprising insertspositionable in the apertures of the primary member, the inserts eachproviding a surface of contact for the cutter positioned in the plane ofthe surface of contact of the primary member when the inserts arepositioned in the apertures, additional apertures through the contactsurfaces of the primary member and companion piece smaller than thefirst-named apertures cooperating with the cutter for finer comminutionof the food, spring means normally tending to spread the primary memberand companion piece apart, and means to adjust the primary member andcompanion piece with the inserts selectively positioned into and out ofthe rst-named apertures to regulate the degree of neness of foodcomminution.

'7. A food chopper comprising a discharge plate and a cutter rotatablerelative to and in contact with each other cooperatively to comminutefood, the discharge plate comprising a primary member and a companionpiece relatively movable toward and from each other and rotatably withrelation to each other, the primary member providing a surface ofcontact for the cutter with apertures therethrough cooperating with thecutter for coarse comminution of t -e food, the companion pieceprovidingr a surface of contact comprising inserts positionable in theapertures of the primary member to regulate the degree of coarsecoinminution of the food and said surfaces of the primary member andcompanion piece being provided with additional apertures smaller thanthe firstnamed apertures cooperating with the cutter for ner comminutionof the food, and means for axially adjusting the primary member andcompanon piece when the inserts are in line with the apertures to movesaid inserts into and out of the apertures and for rotatably adjustingthe primary member and companion piece with relation to each other tomove the inserts into and out of alinement with the apertures.

8. A food chopper comprising a discharge plate and a cutter rotatablerelative to and in contact With each other cooperatively to comminutefood, the discharge plate comprising a primary member and a companionpiece axially adjustable toward and from each other and rotatably withrelation to each other, the primary member providing a surface ofcontact for the cutter with apertures therethrough cooperating with thecutter for coarse comminution of the food, the companion piececomprising inserts positionable in the apertures of the primary memberto regulate the degree of coarse comminution of the food and saidsurfaces of the primary member and companion piece being providedWith-additional apertures smaller than the first-named aperturescooperating with the the cutter for i'lner comminution of the food, theinserts each providing a surface of contact for the cutter positioned inthe plane of the surface of contact of the primary member when theinserts are positioned in the apertures, spring means tending to spreadthe primary member and companion piece apart, and means for axiallyadjusting the primary member and companon piece when the inserts are inalinement with the apertures to move said inserts into and out of theapertures and for rotatably adjusting the primary member and companionpiece with relation to each other to move the inserts into and out ofalinement with the apertures.

9. A food chopper comprising a circular discharge plate and a cutterrotatable concentrically relative to and in contact with each othercooperatively to comminute food, the discharge plate comprising aprimary member and a concentric companion piece axially adjustable to-Ward and from each other and rotatably with respect to each other, theprimary member providing a surface of contact for the cutter Withapertures therethrough cooperating with the cutter for coarsecomminution of the food, the companion piece comprising insertspositionable in the apertures of the primary member to regulate thedegree of coarse comminution of the food and said surfaces of theprimary member and companion piece being provided With additionalapertures smaller than the first-named apertures cooperating with thecutter for ner comminution of the food, and means for moving the primarymember and companion piece axially toward and from each other to movethe inserts into or out of the apertures or for moving the primarymember and companion piece circumferentially relative to each other tomove the inserts into or out of alinement with the apertures.

WADE H. BENTON.

